Connecticut Hospitals, Health Systems Advocate for Medicaid Coverage of Diapers

During a public hearing on Thursday, February 27, Connecticut hospitals and health systems testified before the Human Services Committee in support of HB 6937, An Act Concerning Medicaid Coverage For Medically Necessary Children’s Diapers.

Connecticut hospitals continue to partner with The Diaper Bank of Connecticut (DBCT) as long-time proponents of the provisions in this bill.  State officials, including Connecticut State Comptroller Sean Scanlon and State Treasurer Erick Russell, also shared their support for the proposal in testimony.

HB 6937 calls for Medicaid coverage for children’s diapers when medically necessary to prevent or ameliorate (1) severe and persistent diaper dermatitis, urinary tract infection, or other disease of the skin related to inadequate diaper hygiene, or (2) another health condition including, but not limited to, a developmental, psychiatric, or neurological condition that results in an unusual need to void or delay developmentally appropriate toileting behavior.  The bill extends current coverage for children ages 3+ to children under age 3.

Diaper insecurity, the experience of cutting back on or forgoing other basic needs to afford diapers, is increasingly recognized as a social driver of health.  One in two families in the U.S. have diaper insecurity, which can increase the frequency of common skin conditions like diaper dermatitis (“diaper rash”) and fungal infections like candidiasis that are the underlying causes of urinary tract infections (UTIs), the most common bacterial infection related to inadequate diaper hygiene.  In several studies, diaper insecurity was found to be the number one risk factor for postpartum depression in new mothers.  These effects on maternal and infant health contribute to an increase in healthcare utilization and associated costs.

The proposed diaper coverage in HB 6937 can help prevent diaper-related skin conditions and avoidable hospital visits, enhance economic opportunities for caregivers, and connect families to wraparound services to improve overall health and well-being. 

“Providing coverage for diapers when medically necessary is essential and appropriate care.  It is also an effective preventive health and early intervention strategy that benefits both children and their caregivers,” said Selina Osei, director of health equity and community engagement for the Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA), who delivered oral testimony to the committee on Thursday.

Human Services Committee Co-Chair State Representative Jillian Gilchrest (D-West Hartford) is among the lawmakers backing the legislation.  During a press conference in January, Gilchrest remarked, “This isn’t a time in our state for us to sit back. … We need to be innovative, and having Medicaid cover diapers for medically necessary conditions for infants through age 3 is the innovation we need.”

Several hospitals and health systems also submitted written testimony urging the Human Services Committee to advance the bill.

Click here to read CHA’s written testimony in support of HB 6937.